Palaniswamy inducts Pannerselvam as his deputy; swearing-in takes place at 4.30 pm

Chennai: In a post-merger reshuffle of his Cabinet, Tamil Nadu chief minister K Palaniswamy on Monday inducted O Panneerselvam as his deputy.

The chief minister also accommodated Panneerselvam aide K Pandiarajan in the Cabinet, while re-allocating portfolios among existing ministers following the formal merger of the two factions of AIADMK.

A release from the Raj Bhavan said Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao has on the recommendation of the chief minister inducted Panneerselvam and Pandiarajan in the state cabinet.

The governor has also accepted the recommendation of Palaniswamy to designate O Panneerselvam as deputy chief minister, it said.

"The swearing-in of the deputy chief minister and the new minister (Pandiarajan) will be held today at 4.30 pm," it said.

Panneerselvam has been allotted Finance, a portfolio held by D Jayakumar, besides Housing, Rural Housing and Housing Development, Slum Clearance Board and Accommodation Control, Town Planning, Urban Development and CMDA hitherto held by Udumalai K Radhakrishnan.

Jayakumar also holds the Fisheries portfolio and that remains with him.

Pandiarajan has been given Tamil Official Language and Tamil culture, besides Archaelogy, hitherto held by Sevoor S Ramachandran and KA Sengottaiyan, respectively, the release said.